Step a Head

A new service for at-home hair and makeup styling

It's tough to look put-together when you've done your hair and makeup under the fluorescent glow of the ladies' room.

Lauren Remington Platt feels our pain: Fed up with too many after-work functions and no time to hit the salon, she launched Vênsette, a Manhattan-based service for professional, on-location hair and makeup.

After you book your appointment, an artist trained to recreate Vênsette's signature looks comes to your office or home with primping tools and products from Estée Lauder, Lancôme and Tata Harper.

The looks--which comprise hair and makeup--range from the fresh-faced Dew ($250), with washes of peach blush and pink lip gloss, to the nighttime-appropriate Grace Kelly ($325), with a dramatic ruby-red pout and defined cat eyes. Our favorite accompanying hairstyles are the Tribeca, a slicked-back ponytail, and the Classic, a sleek blowout with subtle bounce.

For good-hair junkies, Vênsette's new blowouts-only package gets you dried, smoothed strands from the comfort of home in 45 minutes flat ($500 for a package of five, which is good for one month).

All appointments are made online with transportation, tax and gratuity added at checkout. While the services are a luxury, they're a small price to pay for looking this polished without ever stepping into the salon.